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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. charge — electricity
  3. tear — to rip
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. tear — from crying
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. lean — thin
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — to drill
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. pound — a weight
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bore — gave birth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com